What a Kiss Means
by beMMADfabulous
Summary: My first chapter fic! We'll explore the steps in Clarisse and Joseph's ever-changing relationship, starting with their friendship. C&J, of course. Let me know what you think!
1. Friendship

**A/N: This is going to be my first chapter fic EVER. OO It is roughly based on a list called "What a Kiss Means." I don't know where the list came from, so I don't know who to credit that with, but it isn't mine. This story will detail the changes in Clarisse and Joseph's relationship. This first chapter may seem to start off a bit slow, but I thought that was necessary, as that's how their relationship is, after all. This story's chapters will not be directly related, so you can read them separately and not feel left out, but I do hope you read and review them all! ;**

**FanFic 100 Challenge #: 045- Moon**

**Friendship**

"The Queen looks stunning tonight, doesn't she?" Joseph overheard a tall, slender blonde with a friendly face say to her shorter brunette friend.

"Yes, she does," replied the brunette.

Joseph smiled to himself. Indeed, the Queen did look stunning, but to him, that was an understatement. He stood captivated at the way the light sparkled on the fragile designs on Clarisse's floor length light blue gown. It wasn't a color that she wore often, but she chose to wear it that night simply and secretly because she knew that a certain someone liked when she wore that color. Joseph continued to keep his eyes glued on Clarisse as she chatted with an ambassador's wife, and he reveled in the fact that he could gaze at his Queen for as long as he wanted. As her Head of Security, it was his job to watch her closely, after all.

The ambassador's wife continued to talk animatedly to Clarisse, and though Clarisse was doing a decent job at appearing to be interested in the conversation, Joseph could not help but notice the weary look on her face. Joseph glanced at his watch. It was already late enough in the evening that he could take Clarisse back home without anyone ever thinking twice about them leaving early.

"Pardon me, Your Majesty," Joseph said. "But it's getting late, and I think it would be best if we depart soon."

"Oh yes, I think you're right," Clarisse replied with a small smile. "Goodnight, Alexandria," she said to the ambassador's wife. "It has been a pleasure talking to you."

"Goodbye, Clarisse. Likewise."

Joseph took Clarisse's arm within his own and led her outside. It was a clear, bright night, and the stars were twinkling against the dark, velvety sky as beautifully as freshly cut diamonds. The only sounds penetrating the night air were the muffled _click _of Clarisse and Joseph's heels against the concrete sidewalk and the wind rustling through tree leaves.

"I'm glad you offered to leave when you did," Clarisse said, breaking the comfortable silence between the two of them. "I'm quite fond of Alexandria, really, but I don't know how long I could have gone on humoring her by listening to her endless stories."

Joseph laughed softly.

"I could tell."

"Was I that obvious?" Clarisse asked, her eyes opening wide as she glanced sideways at Joseph.

"No, not really," he replied. "You just had that expression on your face that said you wanted to go home."

"You know me all too well, Joseph," Clarisse said with a grin.

Without thinking, Clarisse took his hand in hers and squeezed it lightly. He smiled back at her, admiring the way the moonlight gave a pure, pale glow to her silky alabaster skin. He kissed the back of the hand that she had placed into his, briefly closing his eyes as her sweet scent intoxicated him.

"Thank you, Joseph," Clarisse said after another moment or two of pleasant silence had passed.

"For what?" he asked, slightly confused.

Clarisse's bright eyes met his as she squeezed his hand again, this time a little more tightly.

"For being my best friend."

**TO BE CONTINUED**

**A/N: This is from the part of the list that says "A kiss on the hand means friendship."**


	2. I Care For You

**A/N: I suppose this chapter is still pretty "slow." I almost feel like I should be apologizing for it… I do hope you enjoy it, though. Please let me know what you think.**

**FanFic 100 Challenge #: 057- Lunch**

**I Care For You**

Somewhere upon the Queen's desk, there was an end to the massive stacks of papers that were piled high and waiting on Clarisse to attend to them; that was what Clarisse kept telling herself, anyway, but the end of the files was proving quite difficult to find. She heaved a loud, un-Queen-like sigh as she glanced at the clock on the wall. 11:25 AM. Thirty-five minutes stood in the way of Clarisse and her lunch break, and it seemed that those minutes just could not pass by quickly enough.

Clarisse drummed her fingertips on the desk as she glanced hopelessly at the paper before her. No matter how many times she blinked her eyes tightly to clear the tiredness, the words on the page seemed to run together in a big, incomprehensible blur. She allowed herself to stare out the window for a few moments in hopes that this would help her concentration. The morning sun's bright rays had cast a luminous golden light on everything in the window that was visible from her seat at her desk.

Clarisse smiled to herself as her thoughts drifted to Joseph. She wondered what he was doing and thinking and that very moment, and she even found herself imagining that he could be thinking of her. That was a silly thought, of course, she told herself. There was no logical reason why he would be thinking of her at all, at least not in the same way that she was thinking of him…

Clarisse got up from her chair and walked over to the window. To her surprise, she spotted Joseph walking towards the castle entrance. Her breathe hitched in her throat; was it her imagination, or had he been staring up towards her? She watched him until he was no longer visible from her position at the window, and she knew this meant he was already inside the castle.

With another glance at the clock, Clarisse sat back down at her desk. It was 11:40 AM now, and she knew she needed to complete some more papers before lunch; it would have been quite a bit easier to do so, however, if she could do something to keep Joseph off her mind. She thought of how it felt to have Joseph's hand on her bare skin and how his warm, soft mouth felt as it pressed against the back of her hand. The memories were so clear that she could almost feel his presence right there with her. Though it wasn't the first time she had pondered it, Clarisse even began to wonder what it would feel like to have his lips against hers… No! What was wrong with her today? Was she losing her sanity? She pressed her fingertips to her closed eyelids, hoping for some sort of release.

"Go away!" Clarisse told her racing thoughts, not realizing that she had actually spoken aloud.

"I apologize, Your Majesty," a deep voice spoke from her door. "I'll come back later."

Startled, Clarisse opened her eyes to find Joseph standing before her.

"No Joseph, not you!" she replied hurriedly. She sighed. "I'm having some difficulties finishing these papers," she said, indicating the unfinished pile before her.

"Oh," he said simply, glad that she wasn't tossing him out before giving him a chance to speak. "Well, it's almost lunch time. Would you like to put your paperwork on hold a little early and go eat… with me?"

"I'd love to," she replied with a bright smile that warmed Joseph's heart.

Clarisse stood and walked over to him. He offered her his arm and she, somewhat nervously, took it within her own.

"I was just thinking of you," Clarisse admitted as they walked together, though she did not dare look at him as she said this.

"Oh really?" Joseph asked, a smile creeping onto his face. "Good thoughts, I hope?"

"Always," she replied with a small laugh.

"I was thinking of you, too," Joseph confessed. "That is, of course, what inspired me to ask you to lunch."

"I'm glad you did."

Clarisse moved closer to Joseph, so close that she could smell his warm cologne scent. She thought back to what he had said about thinking of her. If that were true, as she was sure he would never lie to her, then it was likely that he really had been thinking of her when she had imagined him doing so. This brought a new smile to Clarisse's face. The fact that he had been thinking of her did not mean that he had the same thoughts about her as she did for him, she reminded herself, but it was a start. She could accept that.

Clarisse cared for Joseph, and him for her; that was undeniable. Should it matter to her, Clarisse mused, if his feelings were not exactly the same as hers? The fact that he did care for her was still something, and something, indeed, was much better than nothing.

**TO BE CONTINUED**

**A/N: This comes from the part of the list that says "Thinking of you often means I care for you."**


	3. I Like You

**A/N: I debated with myself on whether or not to use this particular step of the list because, as you'll notice, this step could have possibly been covered with the first chapter. I had actually decided to skip this one, but then I got an idea for it, so I went ahead and wrote this. As always, let me know what you think of it.**

**FanFic 100 Challenge #: 069- Thunder**

**I Like You**

"Your Majesty?" Joseph's voice called from behind Clarisse.

Clarisse smiled at the rich, warm tone of his voice. That voice could still send shivers down her spine no matter how many times she heard it.

"Yes?" she answered, turning to face him.

Joseph cleared his throat.

"I was wondering if you would like to accompany me for a walk around the garden."

"Only if you promise me something," Clarisse said.

"Anything," he replied.

Joseph had not meant to be so forward, but she acted as though she did not mind.

"Call me Clarisse."

Joseph smiled as his cheeks ever-so-lightly flushed pink.

"I promise."

"Good," Clarisse laughed as Joseph took his place beside her.

They walked outside into the garden together. It was a starless night, and the moon appeared only as a small silver sliver against the black sky. Fortunately, some light from the castle poured over into the garden so that it was not completely impossible for Clarisse and Joseph to see, despite the absence of light from the moon and stars above. Crickets sang their joyous nocturnal tune somewhere in the distance, making the garden seem as if it was lightly pulsing with melody.

As they conversed and strolled through the garden, Clarisse made certain that she remained close to Joseph at all times. It wasn't that she was afraid of the darkness, however, as much as it was the strong sense of safety and unconditional comfort that Clarisse received from Joseph that made her desire to stay so close to him. Occasionally as they were walking, Clarisse could feel Joseph's hand brush softly against hers, sending chills through her body. She inhaled deeply and reached out into the dark, catching his hand within hers. Joseph smiled as he felt Clarisse's hand in his, though she could not see him do this. He began gently rubbing his thumb against the back of her hand as if to tell her that he welcomed the physical contact. An urge came over Joseph to pull Clarisse into his arms, but fear of ruining the moment between them kept him from doing so.

Suddenly, a bolt of light flashed in the eastern sky. In only a few short moments later, a terrible rumbling noise accompanied the blaze.

"The thunderstorms weren't supposed to move in until tomorrow morning," Joseph mumbled as crisp rain drops began falling rapidly around them.

Before either of them could move, a few rain drops became a continuous flood of water, soaking Clarisse and Joseph. They began running… or _hastening_, rather, towards the castle door, their hands still intertwined. Clarisse's beautiful laughter rang through Joseph's ears as another streak of lightning flashed in the sky. He watched her as she panted slightly, the sound of thunder roaring even louder than before. Merriment danced in her eyes, making her appear much more youthful than he could ever remember her.

"That was exciting," Clarisse said with a laugh, looking as though her own actions had surprised her.

"It certainly was," Joseph grinned.

Joseph had wanted to tell her how much more amazingly beautiful she had been in those moments when she had allowed herself to be free from her worries and Queenly duties, but he instead remained silent as Clarisse slowly and reluctantly released his hand as they walked inside. She smiled at him, and he smiled at her in return. Clarisse's dripping wet clothes and hair did nothing to languish her loveliness; on the contrary, Joseph believed she looked more beautiful then than ever before, if it were possible.

Joseph could not help but to laugh at himself and his situation. There he stood, soaked with rain and falling… no, _fallen…_ for the Queen of Genovia.

**TO BE CONTINUED**

**A/N: This comes from the part of the list that says "Holding hands means I like you."**


	4. Comfort Me

**A/N: Woah, two chapters completed in one day! I don't know what has gotten into my muse Tempest lately… haha. Anyways, when I saw this line of the list, I knew exactly what the chapter would consist of. I hope you like it. **

**FanFic 100 Challenge #: 062- Spring**

**Comfort Me**

A crisp spring breeze rustled and howled in the trees as it swept through the open land. Clarisse squinted slightly from the intensity of the bright golden sun as she looked around at her surroundings. She had always found it quite ironic how nature could continue blossoming and thriving in the very moments when she had felt her entire world was crashing down around her. Her knees began to ache from her position of kneeling on the lush green grass, so she gave a pained sigh and directed her thoughts back to her present duties.

"Happy birthday, Phillipe," she said with a quavering voice that held back a flood of tears.

Clarisse traced her equally shaking fingertips over her son's name on the marble tombstone before her.

"I brought you some carnations from the garden. I know they're your favorite," she said, placing a selection of deep red flowers on the ground in front of the stone.

Clarisse sniffed, and though her eyes stung with the treat of tears building up, she was not yet ready to allow herself to cry again. She had cried enough in those last few weeks to drown Genovia itself, it seemed, and crying had never been a proper thing for her, as Queen, to do.

"I miss you so very much," she went on, trying desperately not to choke on her words. "And I love you."

Despite the breeze that still blew across the land, Clarisse had the uncontrollable sensation that her breath was being sucked from her and that her source of oxygen was rapidly diminishing. She closed her eyes and squeezed her hands together tightly as she mouthed a sincere prayer to God to give her strength and peace, if at all possible. No sooner than Clarisse had mouthed "Amen," she felt someone's presence emerge over her right shoulder, and she instantly knew whose it was.

"May I?" Joseph asked in a low, strained voice.

Clarisse nodded in reply, and Joseph knelt down on the grass beside her. They sat in silence for a few moments as he gave her the opportunity to speak first.

"I can't do this," she said, closing her eyes once more, this time to fight the tears as they struggled even harder to escape.

"It's okay to cry," he whispered.

Clarisse inhaled deeply as if gasping for air to breathe and rested her head on Joseph's shoulder. He pulled her into a strong, comforting embrace as she released the tears that she had been holding back for far too long. Though his knees ached terribly, he continued to hold her close as she wept onto him, allowing her to finally free herself from her false pretense of strength. In Joseph's arms, Clarisse at last felt the comfort that she had been searching for. His presence and embrace in itself felt like the answer to her prayers. Though she had been broken inside, his arms were her shield and her protection. She could not remember ever before feeling as safe as she did with him.

Joseph rubbed a small circle with his hand on Clarisse's back as her tears began to slow. She pulled away from him just far enough to look him directly in the face. He wiped her remaining tears away with his thumbs, even pausing to remove the tears that had collected on her lips before realizing what he had done. Clarisse shivered with delight as Joseph's thumb moved across her mouth.

"I'm sorry," he said. "I shouldn't have−"

"No," she whispered. "It's okay."

Joseph smiled weakly at her as he moved a piece of her hair to the side.

"Thank you, Joseph," she said earnestly, "For everything."

Joseph nodded as he stood and helped Clarisse to her feet. She turned once more to look back at her son's grave, and Joseph put his arm around her waist. She leaned her head softly back against his shoulder. Though Clarisse knew that Phillipe was never coming back to her, she could not help but believe that the comfort that Joseph was able to give her was proof that peace and strength were still somehow possible to regain.

**TO BE CONTINUED**

**A/N: This comes from the part of the list that says "Leaning my head on your shoulder means comfort me."**


	5. I Missed You

**FanFic 100 Challenge #: 008- Weeks**

**I Missed You**

It had been six days, five hours, and twenty-five minutes since Joseph had been gone to America to prepare security for the Queen's trip to meet her granddaughter in San Francisco.

Clarisse didn't know which was worse− the fact that Joseph wasn't back yet and her substitute security men were driving her crazy or that she actually knew _exactly_ how long he had been gone. Six days without Joseph felt more like six weeks to Clarisse. The castle just wasn't the same without him there. She missed his jokes, his warm, sultry voice, and especially the time they spent together as friends rather than as employer and employee. It was difficult to go on without the only person who had always been Clarisse's listening ear and eternal comfort, even if it was really only for a few days. She missed him desperately, but there was no way that she could have allowed anyone to know that; as Queen, that would be quite inappropriate, after all. Fortunately, however, Clarisse would not have to wait much longer for Joseph to return, as his plane had already been scheduled to land in Genovia a half hour before.

A knock came suddenly at Clarisse's door, pulling her out of her reverie. Only then did she notice how much she had been slouching since she had been alone for so long. Instinctively, she straightened her body and pulled her shoulders back in order to regain a dignified, more formal posture.

"Come in," she called.

"I knew I would find you here," the familiar male voice spoke.

"Joseph!" Clarisse's voice almost sang as she stood and walked over to greet him as he closed the door behind him.

Joseph smiled at her as they embraced each other delicately.

"I've missed you," he said after they had let go.

"I have certainly missed you as well," Clarisse replied in a quiet voice as if in fear that someone would hear. "You must tell me all about your trip," she went on, foolishly attempting to make herself seem less excited about his arrival, "But first, I'm sure you'd like go downstairs for something to eat."

At first, Clarisse was not entirely sure whether or not she had actually meant it to sound like an invitation for Joseph to eat dinner with her. Sure, she _wanted_ him to, but she had not intended upon sounding so bold.

"I certainly would," Joseph replied. "Would you care to join me?" he asked. "I can tell you all the boring details, if you'd like."

Clarisse laughed.

"I'd love to," she said, "However, I don't think I could find anything you say to be boring, at least not after what I've been through after you left."

This was true. Because Joseph had been there for her as long as she cared to remember, Clarisse had almost forgotten what it was like to have no one around to talk to. Joseph smiled at her as they made their way downstairs to the kitchen.

As Clarisse and Joseph enjoyed the meal that the head chef had cooked, Clarisse listened intently as Joseph told about his trip to America before she told of her struggles of being without him.

"It's nice to have you back," Clarisse said. "The castle hasn't been the same without you."

"Nor have I without you," Joseph said kindly as he took a sip of coffee from his mug.

Clarisse blushed lightly before pulling Joseph into another strong hug.

"Oh, pardon us, Your Majesty," a young female voice said, breaking the moment of enchantment between Clarisse and Joseph.

Clarisse raised her eyebrow at the two maids curtseying at the kitchen door.

"We didn't mean to interrupt anything," the one called Olivia went on as both maids giggled like schoolgirls. "We'll come back later."

"Thank you," Clarisse huffed, clearly frustrated.

"No wonder the maids know everything," Joseph chuckled, causing Clarisse to smile.

What did it matter to Clarisse that by now the entire castle and possibly half of Genovia knew that she, the Queen, had been "caught" showing affection to her Head of Security, thanks to two of her maids? Not much, honestly. Frankly, Clarisse was getting quite tired of worrying about what everyone else thought of her relationship with Joseph. He was her friend, after all, and she had missed him terribly. She was a grown woman, and she could hug him any time she liked. If people didn't like it, they could jolly well lump it!

**TO BE CONTINUED**

**A/N: This comes from the part of the list that says "Giving short, occasional hugs means I missed you."**


	6. You're Someone Special

**FanFic 100 Challenge #: 096- Writer's Choice- Waves**

**You're Someone Special**

The ocean was always most beautiful at sunset, Joseph mused as he stood on the warm, sandy shore, admiring the ebbing and flowing of the vibrant blue waves. His ears perked as the cry of two seagulls soaring against the gold and red sky reached his ears. His eyes fluttered shut as a cool breeze from the ocean swept over his entire body like the waves themselves. He thought of Clarisse and how much more lovely the ocean would seem with her there beside him.

"Joseph," he heard her call.

Joseph opened his eyes and turned to find Clarisse only a few steps behind him, appearing as if she had been sent to him on the wings of the wind, her soft dress still blowing gently in the breeze. She was smiling at him, her clear, glass-like blue eyes dancing with the reflections of ocean waves. Joseph smiled back; it was just as he figured− the ocean _did_ appear much more exquisite now that she was here. Clarisse reached for Joseph's hand, and he took it into his own, kissing it gratefully. She stepped forward, her body pressing softly against his. She leaned up towards him slowly, her lips now lonely a short breath away from his…

Joseph awoke suddenly with a jolt. He pounded a fist lightly against his pillow beside him in bed. He had been so very close that time… so close to kissing her. Joseph had been having those kinds of dreams about Clarisse for several nights in a row now, but so far, he had always awakened before their lips had managed to touch. Every time he had dreamed those dreams before, he had desperately tried to immediately fall back asleep in hopes of finishing the wonderful dream; he had not yet been so lucky, however, and he knew that attempting it again tonight would be useless.

Though he had closed his eyes and made himself quite comfortable in his bed, Joseph could not find sleep. Thoughts of Clarisse came swimming back to his mind. As he lay quiet and motionless, the images of his dream of Clarisse on the beach were so vivid that he could almost feel her quickened breath against his mouth and hear the sound of the ocean waves as they crashed behind him. Joseph sighed heavily into the darkness as he glanced at his alarm clock. It was only 2:15 AM. Wearily, he rolled over in bed, fluffed his pillow, and stretched his body, his bones popping loudly in the silence after being stiff for so long. He reached onto his nightstand for his mobile phone, flipped it open, and instinctively found Clarisse's number in the phone's address book. Remembering that it was two o'clock in the morning, Joseph closed his phone. Clarisse had always told him to call her, day or night, if he ever needed anything, even if it was just to chat.

"_You know, one day I'm going to take you up on your offer and call you at four in the morning, just to see if you'll answer_," Joseph had jokingly told her on numerous occasions.

"_I will,"_ she had always replied with a bright smile that had actually somehow made him believe her.

Joseph opened his phone again and pressed the call button when he came to her number in the address book. He held his breath as the phone rang once… twice… three times.

"Hello?" Clarisse answered in a sleepy voice that made Joseph grin.

"Clarisse," he replied, "It's me, Joseph."

He hadn't needed to tell her who he was, of course; she had been able to identify him instantly by the sound of his voice.

"Joseph, are you okay?" she asked, sitting up in her bed in alarm that something might have happened to him.

"I'm fine," he said. "Everything's fine. I'm taking you up on your 'call anytime' offer…"

Clarisse smiled.

"I thought you eventually would. I hope you're not planning to hang up now that I've proven I'll answer your call," she laughed.

"No," Joseph replied, clearing his throat nervously and pausing before revealing his next words. "I dreamed of you tonight," he said in a low voice.

"Really?" she asked. "I hope it wasn't a nightmare."

"Not at all," he said, amused at how much she was joking with him so early in the morning.

"What was it about?"

Silence rang through the telephone as Joseph gave no answer.

"Joseph?" she said.

"Yes?"

"I thought maybe you had fallen asleep for a moment. I'm glad you're still with me," Clarisse laughed again, but she then realized that he did not want to talk about the content of his dream. "Why do you think you dreamed about me?" she asked out of curiosity as well as to turn away from an evidently uncomfortable subject for Joseph.

"Excuse me?" he said.

"You know, they always say that if you dream of someone, there must be a reason."

"Oh," he said. "Well… because… you're special to me."

Clarisse's mouth opened slightly for a moment before she closed it again.

"Thank you, Joseph," she replied, thankful he could not see her blush. "You're special to me as well."

Joseph smiled, knowing that her words would play over and over in his head for quite sometime.

"That's good to hear," he said at last. "But now, I'll allow you return to your sleep."

"Okay," she said, though reluctant to get off the phone with him, especially so soon. "Goodnight, Joseph."

"Goodnight, Clarisse," he replied, hanging up the phone and rolling back over in his bed.

Joseph smiled to himself as he lay facedown on the pillow. With Clarisse's words singing soothingly in his ear, he fell asleep quickly. He again dreamed of her being there on the beach with him, but this time was different.

He got to kiss her.

**TO BE CONTINUED**

**A/N: Woah, let the sap flow. Haha. I hadn't planned on it being so fluffy. Anyway, this comes from the part of the list that says "Dreaming of you means you're someone special."**


	7. I Need You

**A/N: I cannot apologize enough for the time you have all had to spend waiting for this chapter. My Internet was down for a couple months, and school began getting in the way just when we got our Internet back. PLEASE forgive me! :(**

**FanFic 100 Challenge #: 042- Triangle**

**I Need You**

The only sound that pervaded the crisp night air was the relentless ticking of the kitchen wall clock, which now read seven minutes until midnight. Clarisse sat alone, her legs crossed properly beneath her, at the old wooden table. She placed a hand over her mouth as she yawned lightly. Glancing around the dimly lit room, she was very thankful for the silence of the moment, but she still somewhat wished she had someone to speak to, though she honestly had little to say. She drummed her slender fingertips against the table in a slow, constant beat as she allowed random thoughts, influenced by her weariness, to breeze through her mind.

"What are you doing awake, Clarisse?"

Clarisse jolted so hard that she thought her heart must have skipped a beat.

"Oh, Joseph," she panted, placing a hand over the left side of her chest. "You startled me."

"I apologize," he said.

"It's okay. I was just deep in thought, I suppose. I couldn't sleep."

Joseph chuckled as he took a seat beside Clarisse at the table.

"Me either," he replied. "How long have you been here in the kitchen?"

"Not long," she answered, glancing at the clock. "Only about ten minutes."

Joseph nodded, and a comfortable silence fell between the two of them. He took a moment to admire the way Clarisse's pink satin robe glistened against her soft white skin, and he smiled as he noticed she was barefoot, as this was not at all common for her.

"Would you care for something to drink?" he asked, breaking his stare from her quickly in hope that she would not notice him watching her so intently. "I can make us a fresh pot of tea."

"That would be lovely," she said, giving him a gentle smile that warmed him more than he could imagine the tea itself doing.

Joseph got up from the table and moved to the stove. He hummed to himself as he prepared the water and the tea bags in the kettle, not realizing Clarisse's intrigue as he did so. He returned to the table as he waited the water to boil. As they waited, Clarisse and Joseph chatted briskly. Clarisse had always been amazed at the ease at which she found herself opening up to Joseph when they were together, and he treasured the way she seemed to truly listen to everything he said, as if she hung on his every word.

Though the conversation was light, there was an obvious sense of closeness between Clarisse and Joseph that neither shared with any other person. When Clarisse laughed with Joseph, it was a genuine laugh that she rarely displayed with anyone else. In truth, this was because he was someone she could finally be herself in front of, and she didn't have to be afraid to do so.

The high squealing sound that signaled the tea being ready momentarily broke the flow of conversation between Clarisse and Joseph. Joseph went to the stove and took the tea kettle off the eye.

"I'll get the teacups," Clarisse offered, gliding over to the cabinet where the cups were kept.

Clarisse stood on her tiptoes as she reached up into the cabinet and took hold of two teacups. Before she could react, with her hands already full, another teacup was nudged from its unsteady position in the cabinet and came pummeling down, breaking into three pieces as it hit the kitchen floor. Instinctively, Clarisse jumped out of the way, almost knocking down more cups as she did so.

"Ouch!" she cried out as she took a step backwards.

Instinctively, as a result of a sudden sharp pain, she lifted her right foot a couple of inches off the ground.

"Here, let me help you," Joseph said as he rushed to help Clarisse.

Joseph pulled a chair from the table, set it before Clarisse, and helped her into it.

"Let me see," he said, reaching for her injured foot.

Joseph held her foot with one hand and traced two fingers over the bottom of her foot with his other hand. Clarisse grimaced at both the pain and the pleasure of his fingertips caressing her foot.

"I see the problem," Joseph said in a low voice, as if speaking to himself.

He gently turned Clarisse's foot to get a better look at the small shard of porcelain piercing her skin. Clarisse made a faint whimper as she anticipated the pain from the removal of the glass from her foot.

"Trust me," Joseph said, looking her in the eyes.

A shadow of a grin danced across Clarisse's face.

"I do."

Clarisse closed her eyes tightly from the intense pressure of Joseph's tugging at the sharp piece lodged into her foot. She held her breath as the pressure slowly began to alleviate from her now pulsating wound, and she opened her eyes to find Joseph holding the delicate triangular-shaped piece of porcelain in the palm of his hand. After discarding the piece, Joseph began tracing his fingertips lightly upon the bottom of Clarisse's foot. She watched in astonishment as his ministrations began to sooth the pain.

"Better?" he asked, his caresses becoming lighter.

"Very much," she replied.

Clarisse leaned forward and placed a slow, gentle kiss upon Joseph's cheek. Her mouth briefly lingered so close to him that he could feel her warm breath upon his skin. He closed his eyes momentarily in an effort to savor the moment that had just passed between them.

"Thank you, Joseph," she whispered. "What would I do without you?"

He opened his eyes and gazed into hers. He wanted to tell her that he asks himself that question every day of this life, what _would_ he do without her?, but his lips could not form the words. His heart leapt at the thought of her needing him, but he felt he must be careful to not place too much hope into her kind words.

"You're welcome," Joseph replied, clearing his throat.

Clarisse glanced at the clock and sighed.

"I really must be getting back to bed," she murmured reluctantly.

Joseph nodded.

"Is there anything I can do for you before you go?" he asked.

Clarisse smiled warmly at him.

"You've done quite a lot already," she said as she stood from her chair, brushing her hand softly against the place on Joseph's cheek where she had kissed him moments before.

"I'll be here if you need me," he called to her as she moved towards the kitchen door.

Clarisse turned back to look at him, her blue eyes dancing brightly in the dim light of the room, and before exited the room, she left him with four words that rendered him completely speechless.

"I'll always need you."

**THE END**

**A/N: I sincerely plan to update MUCH sooner than this chapter was updated!**


	8. Do You Love Me?

**A/N:: I forgot to mention that the last chapter went along with the part of the list that says "A kiss on the cheek means I need you." I'm so sorry for the delay, but school has been SO hectic lately, and it seems my muse has been affected as well, I'm afraid. :(**

**Do You Love Me?**

Her eyes fluttered shut as she felt his tender lips press against the flesh of her neck. Standing behind her, he wrapped his arms tightly around her waist, causing her to shiver as he did so.

"Joseph," she whispered, leaning back against him…

Clarisse had been daydreaming again. That realization, more than anything else, was what had once taken her reluctantly out of her sweet reverie. She frowned as she found herself still helplessly trapped in the meeting that had been going on for hours now. She attempted to listen to the speaker, but she was concentrating no better than an anxious child that was being forced to sit still for three hours. She shifted her weight in her chair carefully, so as not to be noticed, in a futile effort to ease her restlessness. Clarisse's mind began wandering again before she had been able to return her attention to the speaker. In fact, she was currently distracted by a certain someone standing guard just outside the door…

There was no doubt in Clarisse's mind that it was indeed _him_, though she had not yet been able to catch a full glimpse of his face. The unmistakable shape of his body was what had initially told Clarisse that it was Joseph that was outside the door, though she would have never admitted this aloud.

Finally, as he turned to his side, Clarisse saw Joseph's face. He caught her eye and smiled, and she gave him a small smile in return before averting her eyes from him and blushing slightly. Clarisse pretended to be fully listening to the speaker now, but she could not help but muse over how perfectly Joseph's fit body looked in his black leather jacket.

To distract herself from him, Clarisse bit down on her lip until it hurt and had turned red. Joseph watched as she did so, carelessly allowing himself to get lost in the beauty of her lips.

Though the speaker continued his enduring oration, Clarisse met Joseph's eyes once again. She felt her heartbeat quicken as she fought the urge to look away from him. She could not be entirely certain of the emotion she was witnessing in Joseph's eyes, but even at a distance, there was no denying that there was something there.

Clarisse would not dare allow herself to believe that she was seeing in Joseph's eyes what she knew was mirrored in her own. _Love_. She could not even bare to associate that word with him without her heart racing. Clarisse slowly released a breath that she hadn't realized she was holding and moistened her lips. _Do you love me?_

Joseph smiled, and for a moment, Clarisse feared that he could have somehow read her thoughts. She smiled back at him but quickly turned back to the speaker, though her thoughts did not abandon Joseph.

Joseph watched as Clarisse turned her gaze away from him and back towards the speaker, but, though he was not certain of what was really on Clarisse's mind, he could tell that her attention was not with the speech being given. He sighed to himself as he ran a hand over his forehead.

Clarisse's ears perked as she finally heard the sound she had been waiting for—the tell-tale verbal signal that the speech would be ending very soon. After years of practice, she considered herself an expert at detecting the moment when speakers, even the monotonous ones, would begin ending their presentations. When the meeting had officially adjourned and most individuals had begun making their way towards the door, Clarisse desired nothing more than to rush ahead of the crowd just to ascertain that she was not as eternally trapped as she felt. Queens, however, never do such a thing, so she forced herself to smile gracefully and properly thank each individual in charge of the meeting.

Clarisse sighed to herself when the ordeal was finally over. Eager to leave the meeting room, she turned quickly towards the door, releasing an audible gasp as she found herself staring straight into Joseph's dark eyes.

"I apologize for startling you," he chuckled.

He _did_ seem to have a knack for doing that, she thought to herself, but she couldn't say that she didn't find herself strangely enjoying it.

"That's okay," she muttered lamely.

Clarisse watched as an unusual expression momentarily passed over Joseph's countenance. It was as if there was something on his mind that he could not yet express to her.

_Do you love me?_

"Is something wrong, Joseph?" she asked him, searching his face for some answer.

He cleared his throat.

"Not at all," he replied with a small smile, as if this would prove to her that there was nothing to be concerned about.

She gave him a look that told him that she knew him better than to believe his response.

"Are you ready to go?" Joseph asked with a genuine smile as he extended his arm to her.

Clarisse laughed at the understatement of his question.

"Absolutely," she replied, taking his arm into her own.

Clarisse smiled to herself at the image of Joseph being the one to save her from her everyday frustrations. A smile graced Joseph's face in return as their eyes locked together in an instant, their souls calling out to each other with the very same question:

_Do you love me?_

**TBC**

**A/N:: Aha, okay, how lame was that? If you see my muse Tempest running around out there, please tell her to return to me. I don't do a very good job at writing when she leaves me as she has been doing lately. :P **

**The theme of this chapter is "Looking into the eyes means 'Do you love me?'"**

**And yes, more actual kisses are coming soon!**


	9. I Love You

**A/N:: Ah, another chapter so soon? It's true!**

**I Love You**

Sunlight danced through the trees and bushes of Clarisse's garden, casting what appeared to be almost tangible golden pools upon the lush green grass. Clarisse loved this time of morning, when the cool breeze blew softly and constantly, natural silence was all around, and the sparkling dew still hung on the roses like encrusted diamonds. The earth itself seemed to come fully alive again at that moment of the day, and she loved witnessing it with her own eyes. Clarisse inhaled deeply, allowing the scent and coolness of the garden to calm her senses even further.

"I thought I'd find you here," a deep voice called from behind her.

She closed her eyes, relishing in the sensual tone of Joseph's voice. It seemed that nature itself, rather than being disrupted by the sudden break of silence, welcomed him here just as much as Clarisse did, because the colors of the world around them seemed to intensify in the moment Clarisse turned and looked at him. She smiled warmly at Joseph as he began walking towards her.

"Do you mind if I join you?" he asked.

"I'd like that," Clarisse replied, linking her arm into his.

Clarisse was grateful for the comfort and familiarity she found with Joseph, and she sometimes even found herself surprised and beguiled to notice just how open she had become with him. Clarisse released Joseph's arm suddenly, leaving him disappointed at their physical separation until he felt her hand slip into his own. He smiled gracefully and gave a small squeeze to her hand in return.

They walked contentedly for a few moments without any more words passing between them until Joseph again broke the silence.

"The garden is so beautiful."

"It is…" she agreed, wishing she could say something more enlightening, more like what was on her heart.

Joseph stopped walking and pulled her close to him. As he leaned towards her, one of Clarisse's last intelligible thoughts was whether or not he could hear the loud pounding of her heart. She leaned forward into him, closing the gap between them and catching his lips with her own. The kiss was not a rushed one, nor was it one that lacked fervent passion.

_Breathlessness_: it was one of the only states of mind and body that Clarisse was aware she was in. She wasn't even fully certain whether she was sitting or standing, but she knew that she had never in her entire life felt this way before. When their lips had finally parted, the world around them became real again, as if it had been only a blur before. Joseph placed his mouth over Clarisse's ear and whispered to her.

"I love you."

The moment that Joseph waited for Clarisse's reply felt like the longest moment of his entire life. Clarisse's mouth parted slightly as she struggled for air. _He loved her._ Oh, how she wished he would say it again just so she could be sure she wasn't dreaming!

"Oh, Joseph, I love you too," she said, pulling back to look him in the eyes.

Joseph smiled in return, though he felt that his heart would surely burst with pleasure, and rested his forehead against hers. Clarisse took his hand as they slowly began walking once more, and a comfortable, leisurely conversation developed between them.

There with Joseph, it was as if Clarisse was seeing the world in an entirely new light. She had always known, of course, what it was like to love people, but being _in_ love was a completely new experience for her, and she now understood what people in love were feeling when they said they wanted to shout it from the rooftops. What was even better, she knew, was that she could simply look into Joseph's eyes and know that he felt the very same way.

_Dear God,_ Clarisse prayed as Joseph kissed her hand, causing her to giggle softly as his beard tickled her skin, _If this is a dream, I never want to awaken._

**TO BE CONTINUED**

**A/N:: Obviously, the theme of this chapter is "A kiss on the lips means I love you."**


	10. I Adore You

**A/N:: School is taking over my life, folks. That's why this chapter is so delayed. I'm hoping that the next chapter is updated much more quickly than this one was. Hmm, this gets to be a bit fluffier than expected. hehe.**

**I Adore You**

Clarisse closed her eyes tightly as pain seared through her head. She was having one of those almost mind-numbing headaches resulting, no doubt, from a malicious corroboration of stress and sleep deprivation. She massaged her cool fingertips onto the throbbing temples of her forehead, but the pain was still relentless. Clarisse knew that the only thing that would alleviate her headache was rest, but she also knew that because of the endless amount of work that remained to be completed, this would be impossible to achieve. She sighed to herself as she covered her closed eyes with her palms, giving herself a few more moments to regain any kind of strength available.

Clarisse had not noticed Joseph enter the room, nor was she, her eyes still closed and covered, aware when he silently moved to stand behind her. She gasped the instant Joseph's fingertips brushed over the exposed flesh of the back of her neck, but she did so more from the pleasure of the tingling feeling his gentle caress gave her than from being startled. Clarisse hadn't needed to uncover and open her eyes in order to recognize Joseph; she knew his touch. She couldn't remember a time when he had ever touched her in a manner such as this (that was a thing she _would_ have remembered, after all), but she loved the calming effect it made on her.

"Just relax," Joseph whispered over her shoulder, "And trust me."

Clarisse's eyes fluttered shut once again as she attempted to do as he told her. She smiled slightly despite the pain as she thought of Joseph telling her to trust him; not matter what, he had always wanted the promise that she trusted him. She always had.

Joseph slowly began increasing the pressure of his hands as he massaged Clarisse's neck. She closed her eyes tighter as his ministrations upon her neck sent chills down her spine. She leaned back against him and was surprised to find that her pain had begun to alleviate. Clarisse marveled at the agility of Joseph's hands as he now began lessening the pressure on her neck, her skin still tingling from his touch. She trembled as his warm fingers left her skin.

Clarisse inhaled softly as she felt Joseph's lips press briefly against her jaw line.

"I love you," he whispered barely audibly into her ear. She shivered as the spirit of his warm breath gently nuzzled her skin.

Joseph moved to stand beside Clarisse and took her hand in a swift, fluid motion.

"I think it's time you got some rest," he said in a low voice.

Clarisse shook her head slowly and lowered her eyes.

"I have a lot of work to do…"

"And I'll see to it that it gets done by someone who is both competent and capable," Joseph replied with a smile.

"No, you don't understand. I−"

Joseph carefully but quickly pulled Clarisse to her feet. He was astonished at the degree to which he could now feel the exhaustion coursing through her body.

"You're going to get some sleep. _Now_," he insisted, linking his arm with hers.

Clarisse opened her mouth to object, but Joseph pressed an index finger to her lips and gently shushed her before she had the chance to form a coherent word.

"Please don't argue," he said calmly but firmly. "I care for you," he continued, lightly brushing his thumb over her delicate cheek. "And I want you to feel better."

Clarisse fell silent, though she was still not sure it would be a wise idea to leave so much work unfinished. She could not deny how utterly tired she felt, however, and Joseph's gentle persuasions could have convinced her of just about anything. She sighed slightly and held Joseph's arm tighter as a quiet sign of acceptance. He smiled as he began leading Clarisse out of her office.

As they reached Clarisse's bedroom door, there was a moment of sweet silence as they stood facing each other, neither able to move. Joseph yearned to hold Clarisse in his arms, but he feared that he had been too forward with her already and that an embrace may not be welcome. As if she could read his thoughts, Clarisse stepped forward and pulled Joseph into a tight hug. Joseph breathed deeply and closed his eyes as her lovely light scent left him intoxicated. Before Joseph had the chance to become too disappointed in the end of the embrace, Clarisse briefly caught his lips with hers in a kiss that left his legs feeling weak and unstable.

"Thank you," she almost whispered, "For everything."

Joseph swallowed hard and nodded. Clarisse squeezed his hand softly and turn to enter her bedroom, leaving him there to stare at her door momentarily. He smiled and sighed deeply to himself before he headed back down the hallway to return to his work.

"Sleep well, my Queen."

**To Be Continued**

**A/N:: Ah, so why do I always get the impression by the end of my chapters that they're pointless? haha**


	11. I Can't Live Without You

**A/N:: A quicker update this time! Please read and review. It really means a lot to me.**

**I Can't Live Without You**

There had been no real warning for the sudden confession Joseph had revealed to Clarisse as they were taking one of their usually afternoon walks in Clarisse's garden. In fact, Joseph's words had been spoken so unexpectedly that Clarisse had not even been fully certain that it had not only been a fleeting reverie.

"Pardon me?" she said, tilting her head to the side slightly.

Joseph had already begun looking flushed, and even though he was quite sure Clarisse had heard him the first time, he repeated himself with an effort to keep calm.

"I said…" He took a deep breath. "I'm in love with you."

"Oh," Clarisse said softly before averting her eyes. "I love you, too, Joseph... Isn't the garden lovely this afternoon?" Clarisse declared, flagrantly failing to feign ignorance.

She quickened her step in order to walk ahead of him, but he caught her by the hand to stop her.

"That's not what I said, Clarisse," Joseph replied in a low but kind voice, knowing she had not really misunderstood him. "I said I'm _in _love with you. You can't keep ignoring this," he said, the tone of his voice becoming more serious than before.

She sighed as she realized there was no escaping this confrontation. Clarisse stopped before him, her heart pumping loudly and rapidly inside her chest. This was everything she had ever wanted, but there she stood, defiantly refusing her deepest hopes and dreams.

"I… I can't do this, Joseph," she muttered, tears stinging her eyes.

Joseph stepped dangerously close to her body. He could feel her heavy breathing on his face as he fought the incessant urge to kiss her quivering lips.

"Tell me you're not in love with me," he dared as he stared her straight in the eyes.

Clarisse kept silent, knowing that it would be better to say nothing at all than to attempt to lie to him now. She _was_ in love with him, but she felt it would be foolish to put her own personal life before her duties as a Queen. Her country needed her, her granddaughter needed her, but… oh, how she herself needed Joseph! She felt that her first marriage, though it hadn't really been anyone's fault, had been a failure. She could not stand to fail again with a careless relationship with the one and only man she ever truly loved. She forced herself to look deeply into Joseph's eyes, and as she did so, she knew that he deserved much better than she could give him while she remained Queen. Slowly and painfully, she turned from him and began walking away before he called to her.

"When are you going to start living your life for yourself?

Joseph's words froze Clarisse in her path. She closed her eyes briefly before opening them again and turning to him.

"You care so much for everyone else that you're willing to ignore your own needs in order to serve others," he went on. "You can never fully help anyone else without caring about yourself first."

His words hit her as if she had run headfirst into a wall.

"What are you _really_ afraid of?" he asked softly.

"I don't want to lose you," she replied in a strained, barely audible voice.

Joseph walked towards her slowly and caressed her cheek with his hand.

"Then don't push me away," he said gently.

"I ruin everything…"

"No, you don't. Don't blame yourself for the things you can't control. We can make this work."

Clarisse embraced him tightly.

"I think I realized what I'm most afraid of," she whispered.

"What's that?"

She pulled back in Joseph's arms to look him in the eyes.

"Living my life without you."

He leaned forward and caught Clarisse's lips in a soft kiss before he whispered into her ear.

"_Then don't."_

**To Be Continued**

**A/N:: The next chapter of this will probably be the last chapter unless I decide to add another.. We'll see. **


	12. You're Mine Forever

**A/N:: I know it's been a long time since I've updated this story, and I apologize for that. I've been busy lately and have had little time to write, and when I have had time to write, I couldn't come up with anything suitable for this chapter. Finally, though, I think my muse is back into gear. This is the final chapter of this story. I hope you've enjoyed reading it as much as I've enjoyed writing it!**

**You're Mine Forever**

Clarisse looked up from where she stood on her balcony into the vast openness of the evening sky, where bright swirls of pinks and blues now made it look so close and so tangible that she was almost tempted to reach up to see if she could actually touch it. She sighed peacefully to herself as she leaned forward onto the balcony rail. Her mind raced with thoughts of the day, and she smiled to herself as she thought about how differently today had gone compared with how she had planned.

Clarisse felt a flutter in her stomach as she sensed someone's presence approaching behind her. Still, she gasped slightly when he slipped his strong hands lovingly around her waist.

"Did I startle you?" he breathed against her neck.

"Mm, no, I was just… thinking," she replied in a low voice.

"About us?" he asked before placing a soft kiss upon the side of her neck.

"Of course," she replied with a laugh as she leaned back against him.

"No second thoughts, I hope," Joseph said cheerfully, but Clarisse caught the hidden note of insecurity in his voice.

She turned in his arms to face him directly. Her countenance was loving but equally serious and concerned as she softly cupped his face with her hands.

"Oh Joseph, no," Clarisse said sincerely as she moved her fingertips lightly over his lips. "I married you because I love you… so much. I want to be with you for the rest of my life, and I certainly don't have any second thoughts."

Clarisse embraced him tightly, desperately wishing she could draw every worry away from him and into herself to prevent him from having to endure any sorrow. She kissed him deeply, and her heart leapt when she felt Joseph's smile against her mouth.

"I could get used to this, you know," Joseph said sheepishly when their kiss had ended.

"Get used to what?"

"_Us_."

"I agree," Clarisse laughed.

Joseph looked out over the balcony, a deep and thoughtful expression forming on his face. Clarisse watched him with admiration as he stared, and she waited patiently for him to share with her what was on his mind.

"It may sound cliché," he began in a low voice, his eyes still fixated on some distant location where the skyline seemed to physically meet with the lush green hills, "But ever since we were married today, I feel as though I'm living in a dream." He turned to meet Clarisse's eyes. "And frankly, I hope I never awaken from it."

A smile blossomed on Clarisse's lips as she wrapped her arms tightly around her husband.

"I love you," she whispered into his ear.

Joseph took her hand and traced his thumb over her wedding ring with a smile.

"I love you, too," he replied in an equally soft voice. "_Always and forever_."

**THE END**


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